Buying OEM parts...

[Stig / Major Tom]

My take on OEM  parts:
With all the little things on a new or older scooter which can play up and take you off the road - usually some kind of an electrical thing - I think that when buying the important scooter parts that could lead to The Big Bang in the middle of an intersection - like BELTS - it is wise $$ if spent on original Kymco parts!

Kymco can sell below the Big 4 Japanese - but the bits and pieces which they use in the drive train are top quality stuff.

I look to save $ in a lot of areas - but not in the engine & gear oil, spark plugs, the tires, the belts, clutch, brake fluid & pads.

Stig

[Neil955i]

Good philosophy Tom, there's an old Brit saying about being "penny wise, but pound foolish"!  You gotta know where to save those £/$ and drive belts certainly isn't it!

[CROSSBOLT]

I agree. Since the actual, proven OEM belt is available at the same price as a substitute, the decision is easy. Also the 23.1 width error of a substitute is a deterrent.

[rdhood]

Agree.  OEM parts is the way to go. If it's a "known flaky"  oem part (like the voltage reg on the DT), I would consider replacing with something like a Honda voltage reg.  But for belts, I get nothing but OEM.

[Kansas kymco]

This kind of intertwines with what John G thread says about supporting your local dealer.

[CROSSBOLT]

Just a quickie point: there is ONE dealer in Mwemphis, TN area, about 70 miles from me. I sent them an email requesting price and availability of the CVT belt. I have yet to receive any response. This is the kind of thing that develops poor attitudes toward dealers.
Most OEM parts from Kymco are the best.

[Kansas kymco]

Just a quickie point: there is ONE dealer in Mwemphis, TN area, about 70 miles from me. I sent them an email requesting price and availability of the CVT belt. I have yet to receive any response. This is the kind of thing that develops poor attitudes toward dealers.
Most OEM parts from Kymco are the best.

I just call and ask for the  parts department .  Unless they deal with online sales their email might go unread or wind up in spam.

[randyo]

This kind of intertwines with what John G thread says about supporting your local dealer.

many years ago, I determined that I wasn't a mechanic and prefered to pay a professional, while I work at what I am professional at.  What goes around comes around, I have developed a 2 way relationship with my dealer, and more $$ come my way than theirs, not only have I done work for the dealer, also, many of his employees, and then there are the referrals,  never ends, and of course, I refer customers to them as well, I tell em to not only look at the other brands they sell, look close at the Kymcos.  The service manager at the dealership tells me the most reliable brand they sell, is Kymco, the least, Polaris. the Hon/Kaw/Suz/Yams are all about the same, and they haven't sold Mahindras to form an opinion

[CROSSBOLT]

I just call and ask for the  parts department .  Unless they deal with online sales their email might go unread or wind up in spam.

Took your advice and did just that. Talked to nice parts guy and he warned me up front that it may be MONTHS before I see any product. They are still listed as a dealer but he has no inventory and has had none for a couple of years! WHY, you ask? Because the parts situation has been UNSATIFACTORY! He says you STILL cannot get Kymco USA on the phone! So, the only dealer within a hunnert miles is not dealing.
I take gleeful delight in saying I told you so! OK, you all told me of really good dealers here and there and I would be happy to grace their order entry if the price was better but then I gotta pay double shipping. So for now it looks like on line is the way to go.

[Kansas kymco]

Took your advice and did just that. Talked to nice parts guy and he warned me up front that it may be MONTHS before I see any product. They are still listed as a dealer but he has no inventory and has had none for a couple of years! WHY, you ask? Because the parts situation has been UNSATIFACTORY! He says you STILL cannot get Kymco USA on the phone! So, the only dealer within a hunnert miles is not dealing.
I take gleeful delight in saying I told you so! OK, you all told me of really good dealers here and there and I would be happy to grace their order entry if the price was better but then I gotta pay double shipping. So for now it looks like on line is the way to go.

I also said I try to patronize my dealer when possible, some items they just don't carry so I use outside sources.
From the thread,( what I see as bad for scooter dealers) that you also responded to.

Outside sources might be all that's left if Kymco pulls out of US market like Canada.

Glad you take great gleefull delight  in that.

[randyo]

my UXV450i goes in shop tomorrow, for routine full service,  in the past, I haven't had any issue getting parts, skid pans, and skid pan bolts, mostly, but I had to get the rear brake rotor once too, never took more than a week, maybe 10 days for the rotor.

[Kansas kymco]

I called Kymco USA and they answered on the 6th ring. I asked about plans to import the 550 scooter and he stated they did not know what would be available for 2021. I inquired about parts as well and they are processing orders with some items on back order due to covid 19.  I know there is a minimum for dealers to place a order with Kymco. If the dealer no longer carries Kymco there is little incentive to place a order for a few items. Kymco USA does not sell parts to the public .

[CROSSBOLT]

Anything but gleeful that dealers are bailing. But gleeful my predictions came true..in a dark sense. The Memphis area used-to-be dealer said that parts were glacier-slow BEFORE C19.

My harp has been:
1. Dealer techs like most airplane mechs are NOT but barely competent with a few exceptions.
2. Dealers are not required to stock any parts because realistically Kymcos rarely need any.
3. Dealers have a minimum so you have to wait until minimum is met.
4. Kymco USA seems to have no parts in the US so most have to be shipped by an actual ship!
5. Dealers and Kymco USA are not interested in anything the customer thinks.
6. The technical base is right here in this forum.

[randyo]

yes, almost all the manufacturers have a minimum parts order. My dealer sometimes fulfills the minimum by adding common wear items.  For Kymco's it may be skid pan bolts, they sit flush, but still manage to get sheared off. and they add up, there is nearly $100 worth of them on my UXV, and it's an item not unique to my model. For Honda Power Equipment, they may add snowblower shear pin bolts. It may be ski runners for Yamaha snowmobiles......etc.  By doing this, they meet minimums, and have wear and high breakage items in stock.... in turn,  em a better rep with customers

[souzamoto]

Took your advice and did just that. Talked to nice parts guy and he warned me up front that it may be MONTHS before I see any product. They are still listed as a dealer but he has no inventory and has had none for a couple of years! WHY, you ask? Because the parts situation has been UNSATIFACTORY! He says you STILL cannot get Kymco USA on the phone! So, the only dealer within a hunnert miles is not dealing.
I take gleeful delight in saying I told you so! OK, you all told me of really good dealers here and there and I would be happy to grace their order entry if the price was better but then I gotta pay double shipping. So for now it looks like on line is the way to go.

Bullsh** from the parts guy. All he had to do is call but he's to lazy. I can get KUS on the phone most any time and an email will get a response fairly quick. The parts guy could simply ask to check inventory on that part. They usually keep belts in good supply